Supporting cutter assemblies for multiple grooving of pavement

ABSTRACT

Vehicular apparatus for use in multiple grooving of pavement is provided with generally cylindrical cutter assemblies having cutter heads with laterally spaced blades rotatable to groove pavement when in contact therewith. Each cutter assembly is mounted to be raised and lowered uniformly and also to be tilted relative to the vehicle frame. Adjustable depth wheels at each end of a cutter assembly control the groove depth.

United States Patent 11 1 Staab 1 SUPPORTING CUTTER ASSEMBLIES FORMULTIPLE GROOVING OF PAVEMENT [75] Inventor: Donald C. Staab,Warrington, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Cardinal Industries, Incorporated,

Conshohocken, Pa.

22 Filed: Dec. 27, 1971 211 App]. No.: 212,475

52 US. or ..299/39,5l/176,51/207, 299/89 511 Int. Cl. ..E01c 23/09 58Field ofSearch ..299/39-41,s9; 51/176, 206.5,"207

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Larsson 51/207 X Dec. 18,1973 3,612,611 10/1971 Ellis 299/39 X 2,319,520 5/1943 Rypkema... 299/39X 3.608969 9/1971 Fowkes 299/39 2,990.660 7/1961 Hatcher 299/39 PrimaryExaminerErnest R. Purser An0rneyCharles A. McClure et a1.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT Vehicular apparatus for use in multiple grooving ofpavement is provided with generally cylindrical cutter assemblies havingcutter heads with laterally spaced blades rotatable to groove pavementwhen in contact therewith. Each cutter assembly is mounted to be raisedand lowered uniformly and also to be tilted relative to the vehicleframe. Adjustable depth wheels at each end of a cutter assembly controlthe groove depth.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures FATENIEDUEB 18 1975 SHEET 2 0F 3 SUPPORTINGCUTTER ASSEMBLIES FOR MULTIPLE GROOVING F PAVEMENT Reference is made tomy similarly entitled copending patent application, Ser. No. 212,253filed concurrently herewith, and the benefit thereof is claimed for thepresent application.

This invention relates to grooving of pavement, particularly multiplegrooving thereof to improve traction thereon, especially when wet.

Vehicular apparatus useful for multiple grooving of pavement is known.However, existing designs thereof are relatively inconvenient,inefficient, and not adequately controllable in such use.

A primary object of the present invention is improved mounting of cutterassemblies in apparatus for multiple grooving of pavement.

Another object is improved construction of a cutter head for such acutter assembly.

A further object is improved depth control for such cutter heads.

Other objects of this invention, together with means and methods forattaining the various objects, will be apparent from the followingdescription and the accompanying diagrams.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of pavement grooving apparatus of thisinvention, including a cutter assembly and supporting elements inrelation to a vehicle frame;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation, partly cut away and on an enlarged scale, ofthe cutter assembly and some related elements of FIG. 1, taken at IIIIthereon;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the cutter head of the samecutter assembly;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an end portion of theapparatus of FIG. 3; I

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of such end portion inassembly with adjacent elements; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 5.

In general, the objects of the present invention are accomplished invehicular apparatus for multiple grooving of pavement, including avehicle frame, support means carried by the frame and adapted to supporta cutter assembly having a generally cylindrical cutter head and meansfor rotating the cutter head to groove pavement in contact therewith, bymeans of an improved cutter assembly, improved support thereof, andimproved depth control therefor. Such features of the invention are tobe considered both individually and together.

FIG. 1 shows vehicle frame 10 very fragmentarily from the side, and FIG.2 from the rear. The frame is on wheels, being supported on wheelassemblies 11 (one shown here), in part mounted on mounting members 13(one visible) depending from the frame, and is propelled in part bywheel drive motor 15 carried by mounting member 13. The steeringmechanism, as well as most of the drive mechanism, is hidden behind thewheel assembly; it is not shown in this view (or otherwise) inasmuch assuch mechanisms may be conventional and are not claimed as part of thepresent invention. The rest of the frame and the other wheels areomitted as superfluous to the illustration and this discussion.

Cutter assembly 21 comprises generally cylindrical cutter head 51 (FIG.2) and related elements. The supporting means for the cutter assemblycomprises laterally spaced posts 23, 23 joined by transverse member 25and depending from respective flanged anchoring structures 24, 24'secured to the frame. Transverse horizontal shaft 20 is mountedpivotally through the lower end of the post and secures it to supportingflange 18, which carries tilting support assembly 29, it-

self containing fore-and-aft horizontal shaft 19 upon which the cutterassembly is adapted to tilt. Means for raising and lowering the cutterassembly as a whole comprises extensible-retractable means 30, includingcylinder 32 and piston rod 33 protruding therefrom; the cylinder isjoined at one end to transverse member 25 via transverse horizontalpivot pin 31, and the piston rod is joined to supporting flange 28 byparallel pin 34.

Shroud assembly 41, which is generally semicylindrical, appears onlyfragmentarily end-on in this view. It is stiffened by transverse boxmember 42 along its front edge and is flanked at its opposite ends (onevisible here) by end pieces 45, extending rearwardly from fixedconnection with the transverse box member. The shroud assembly generallysurrounds cutter head 51 and comprises partially bifurcated side skirts46 and bonnet 48, stiffened by overlying transverse box member 49. Alsovisible at the far end of the assembly are drive motor 17 for the cutterhead and intervening gearbox 16, which is secured by flange 28 to oneend of transverse box member 49. Shroud assembly 41 is open at the rearto receive lubricating and cooling water from jet-like openings indistributor pipe 50, which extends from side to side to the rear ofcutter assembly 51 and carries jets 47. As water supply or recoveryforms no part of this invention, although it may be used therewith, nomore of the plumbing is shown or described.

FIG. 3 shows cutter head 51, partly cut away to conserve space andeliminate needless repetition. The head comprises cylindrical arbor 54,which is surrounded by plurality of rotary cutter blades 52 suitablyspaced laterally from one another and retained removably thereon. Thearbor has fixed peripheral stop 53 flanked by pair of removable shims 44midway of its cylindrical surface. The combined width of the stop andshims (optional) conveniently equals the spacing width of blades 52 onthe arbor. Adjacent blades other than the pair immediately flanking thestop are so spaced from one another by one or more ringlike spacers 55.At each end the assembly of spacers and blades is retained on the arborby bolted end cap 56, which fits onto the end of the arbor.

FIG. 4 shows an end portion of cutter head 51 in exploded perspectiveview. The other end (not shown) is similar but with shorter axle. Endcap 56 has central opening 58 therein to accommodate axle 59 extendingfrom the end of the arbor. Each end of the arbor is threadedappropriately to receive cap-retaining bolts 60. Each end cap hasperipheral flange 57, which fits over the end of the arbor and abutsendmost blade 52. For simplicity only two blades 52 with interveningspacer 55 plus shim 44 at the right are shown. The cutting bladesnormally comprise ringlike discs of steel slotted radially inward atintervals along the peripheral edge to which are bonded segments ofabrasive material, such as tungsten carbide with diamonds embeddedtherein. Removal and replacement of worn or broken blades isaccomplished readily upon unbolting the end cap, as suggested in thisview. It will be understood that, where the end of the arbor wouldextend beyond the pavement to be grooved, one or more blades at the endmay be replaced by spacers (with or without one or more shims) so as toprovide the desired overall width.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show details of means for adjusting or controlling thedepth of the cutter blades relative to the pavement to supplement thefragmentary showing thereof in FIG. 1. Shroud skirt 46 has support plate61 for depth wheel 65 along its inside wall. The support plate ispivoted to the front portion of the skirt by bolt 62. The depth wheel ismounted rotatably by bearing assemblies 64 on collar 63 affixed to theinner wall of the support plate. As shown in FIG. 1, slots 66 and 68 inthe skirt accommodate respective bolts 67 and 69 threaded into thesupport plate. The latter bolt also engages end piece 70 of adjustinglinkage for the depth wheel. The end piece is internally threaded toreceive substantially vertical threaded end 72 of adjusting rod 73, theupper portion of which is surrounded by cylindrical casing 75 whoselower end abuts the upper edge of end flange 45 and is bolted thereto.Top end 76 of the adjusting rod protrudes from the casing and is squaredoff to receive a wrench or other adjusting tool. Rotation of the top endof the adjusting rod in a clockwise direction raises (and in acounterclockwise direction lowers) the depth wheel, thus increasing (ordecreasing) the depth of cut.

Operation of this apparatus is readily understood. While the vehicularapparatus is driven to the working site, the cutter assembly is stowedin its raised position by retraction of the extensible-retractablemeans. Once on the site and in position for a cut, the adjusting rodsare (or have been) preadjusted to set the depth wheels for the properdepth of cut. The head is started rotating at cutting speed (and wateris supplied thereto) before contact with the pavement. Then extension ofthe retracted means lowers the cutter assembly into cutting positionwith the cutter head juxtaposed to the pavement to be grooved. The depthwheels at each end average out pavement irregularities. The tilting headadjusts to the lateral gradient of the pavement, and the adjusting rodscan be reset from time to time if required by blade wear.

Any necessary disassembly or reassembly of the cutter head is simplifiedby the end cap and arbor stop construction. Presence of the stopfacilitates assembly without cocking of the blades. Clamping of theblades in place is simplified by use of the end cap and shot boltssecuring it to the end of the arbor, rather than by long bolts throughthe blades themselves. Shims are used only when the desired groovespacing in the pavement exceeds the stop width, which itself equals acustomary minimal spacing, such as one half inch. It is convenient tohave sets of spacers corresponding (singly or in pairs, etc.) in widthto common groove spacings (e.g., inch, inch, 1 inch, 1-% inch, 142 inch)and to use shims only alongside the stop. Of course, the groove width isdetermined by the width of cutting edges on the blades (usually fromabout 1/10 inch to A inch).

Although the apparatus of this invention has been shown and described ina specific embodiment, modifications may be made therein, as by adding,combining, or subdividing parts, or by substituting equivalents, whileretaining advantages and benefits of the invention, which itself isdefined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In vehicular apparatus for multiple grooving of pavement, including avehicle frame, support means carried by the frame and adapted to supporta cutter assembly having a generally cylindrical cutter head, and meansfor rotating the cutter head to groove pavement in contact therewith,improved support means comprising a post carried by the vehicle frame,first pivot means mounted on the post and having a horizontal axisparallel to the axis of the cutter assembly, and extensible andretractable means pivotally interconnected at the opposite ends thereofto the post and the cutter assembly for extending and retracting tolower and raise the cutter assembly.

2. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 1, the assemblyincluding second pivot means having a horizontal axis perpendicular tothe axis of the cutter head, the cutter head being carried by the latterpivot means for tilting thereabout.

3. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 2, including at therespective ends of the cutter assembly adjustable depth-of-cut meansmounted on the support means and adapted to ride in contact with thepavement surface at a level variable from that of the peripheral extentof the blades at their lowermost edge.

4. In vehicular apparatus for multiple grooving of pavement, including avehicle frame, support means carried by the frame and adapted to supporta cutter assembly having a generally cylindrical cutter head, and meansfor rotating the cutter head to groove pavement in contact therewith,improved depth-of-cut means comprising at and surrounding but spacedradially from the respective ends of the cutter head a wheel mounted onthe support means to ride in contact with the pavement at a levelvariable from that of the peripheral extent of the blades at theirlowermost edge, and means so mounting the wheel.

5. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 4, wherein themounting means for the depth wheels includes a horizontal pivot parallelbut eccentric to the axis, a plate supported thereon for limitedadjustment thereabout, bearing means on the plate for mounting the wheelrotatably, and means for securing the plate in any position ofadjustment to fix the level of the wheel and thereby the level of theperipheral extent of the blades at their lowermost edge.

6. In vehicular apparatus for multiple grooving of pavement, including avehicle frame, support means carried by the frame and adapted to supporta cutter assembly having a generally cylindrical cutter head, and meansfor rotating the cutter assembly to groove pavement in contacttherewith, improved support means comprising a post carried by thevehicle frame, first pivot means mounted on the post and having ahorizontal axis parallel to the axis of the cutter assembly, meansinterconnecting the cutter assembly to the pivot means for raising andlowering thereof about the horizontal axis, extensible and retractablemeans interconnected at the opposite ends thereof to the post and thecutter assembly for extending and retracting to lower and raise thecutter assembly; an improved cutter head comprising a cylindrical arbor,a peripheral stop on the arbor at a location intermediate its ends, aplurality of removable cutting blades fitting on the arbor at each sideof the stop, a plurality of removable spacers fitting on the arbor, eachpair of adjacent blades at either side of the stop being separated thewidth of the stop by at least one such spacer intervening therebetween;and improved depth-of-cut means comprising at the respective ends of thecutter assembly a wheel mounted on the support means to ride in contactwith the pavement at a level variable from that of the peripheral extentof the blades at their lowermost edge, and means so mounting the wheeland including a horizontal pivot parallel but eccentric to the axis, aplate supported thereon for limited adjustment thereabout, bearing meanson the plate for mounting the wheel rotatably, and means for securingthe plate in any position of adjustment to fix the level of the wheeland thereby the level of the peripheral extent of the blades at theirlowermost edge.

7. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 6, including animproved cutter head comprising a cylindrical arbor, a peripheral stopon the arbor at a location intermediate its ends, a plurality ofremovable cutting blades fitting on the arbor at each side of the stop,and a plurality of removable spacers fitting on the arbor, each pair ofadjacent blades at either side of the stop being separated the width ofthe stop by at least one such spacer intervening therebetween.

8. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 6, the cutter assemblyincluding second pivot means having a horizontal axis perpendicular tothe axis of the cutter, the cutter being carried by the pivot means fortilting thereabout.

9. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the depthwheels are open centrally to accommodate an axle shaft protruding fromthe cutter head.

10. Adjustable depth-of-cut means for rotatable blades extending fromthe surface of a cutter head of a height-adjustable cutter assembly inpavement grooving apparatus comprising an open-centered depth wheelexceeded in diameter by the cutter blades but exceeding that of the headsurface and surrounding the axis of rotation of the cutter head adjacentan end of the cutter head, means mounting the wheel eccentricallyrelative to the axis, and means for adjusting the degree of eccentricitythereof and thereby determining the depth of cutter penetration intopavement when the wheel is contiguous therewith.

ll. Depth-of-cut means according to claim 10, wherein the depth wheelsurrounds an end of the cutter head in spaced relationship therewith andspaced also from the nearest cutter blade.

12. Depth-of-cut means according to claim 10, in duplicate, located atopposite ends of the cutter assembly.

13. Depth-of-cut means according to claim 12, wherein the respectivedepth wheels surround the corresponding ends of the cutter head.

1. In vehicular apparatus for multiple grooving of pavement, including avehicle frame, support means carried by the frame and adapted to supporta cutter assembly having a generally cylindrical cutter head, and meansfor rotating the cutter head to groove pavement in contact therewith,improved support means comprising a post carried by the vehicle frame,first pivot means mounted on the post and having a horizontal axisparallel to the axis of the cutter assembly, and extensible andretractable means pivotally interconnected at the opposite ends thereofto the post and the cutter assembly for extending and retracting tolower and raise the cutter assembly.
 2. Pavement grooving apparatusaccording to claim 1, the assembly including second pivot means having ahorizontal axis perpendicular to the axis of the cutter head, the cutterhead being carried by the latter pivot means for tilting thereabout. 3.Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 2, including at therespective ends of the cutter assembly adjustable depth-of-cut meansmounted on the support means and adapted to ride in contact with thepavement surface at a level variable from that of the peripheral extentof the blades at their lowermost edge.
 4. In vehicular apparatus formultiple grooving of pavement, including a vehicle frame, support meanscarried by the frame and adapted to support a cutter assembly having agenerally cylindrical cutter head, and means for rotating the cutterhead to groove pavement in contact therewith, improved depth-of-cutmeans comprising at and surrounding but spaced radially from therespective ends of the cutter head a wheel mounted on the support meansto ride in contact with the pavement at a level variable from that ofthe peripheral extent of the blades at their lowermost edge, and meansso mounting the wheel.
 5. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim4, wherein the mounting means for the depth wheels includes a horizontalpivot parallel but eccentric to the axis, a plate supported thereon forlimited adjustment thereabout, bearing means on the plate for mountingthe wheel rotatably, and means for securing the plate in any position ofadjustment to fix the level of the wheel and thereby the level of theperipheral extent of the blades at their lowermost edge.
 6. In vehicularapparatus for multiple grooving of pavement, including a vehicle frame,support means carried by the frame and adapted to support a cutterassembly having a generally cylindrical cutter head, and means forrotating the cutter assembly to groove pavement in contact therewith,improved support means comprising a post carried by the vehicle frame,first pivot means mounted on the post and having a horizontal axisparallel to the axis of the cutter assembly, means interconnecting thecutter assembly to the pivot means for raising and lowering thereofabout the horizontal axis, extensible and retractable meansinterconnected at the opposite ends thereof to the post and the cutterassembly for extending and retracting to lower and raise the cutterassembly; an improved cutter head comprising a cylindrical arbor, aperipheral stop on the arbor at a location intermediate its ends, aplurality of removable cutting blades fitting on the arbor at each sideof the stop, a plurality of removable spacers fitting on the arbor, eachpair of adjacent blades at either side of the stop being separated thewidth of the stop by at least one such spacer intervening therebetween;and improved depth-of-cut means comprising at the respective ends of thecutter assembly a wheel mounted on the support means to ride in contactwith the pavement at a level variable from that of the peripheral extentof the blades at their lowermost edge, and means so mounting the wheeland including a horizontal pivot parallel but eccentric to the axis, aplate supported thereon for limited adjustment thereabout, bearing meanson the plate for mounting the wheel rotatably, and means for securingthe plate in any position of adjustment to fix the level of the wheeland thereby the level of the peripheral extent of the blades at theirlowermost edge.
 7. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 6,including an improved cutter head comprising a cylindrical arbor, aperipheral stop on the arbor at a location intermediate its ends, aplurality of removable cutting blades fitting on the arbor at each sideof the stop, and a plurality of removable spacers fitting on the arbor,each pair of adjacent blades at either side of the stop being separatedthe width of the stop by at least one such spacer interveningtherebetween.
 8. Pavement grooving apparatus according to claim 6, thecutter assembly including second pivot means having a horizontal axisperpendicular to the axis of the cutter, the cutter being carried by thepivot means for tilting thereabout.
 9. PavEment grooving apparatusaccording to claim 6, wherein the depth wheels are open centrally toaccommodate an axle shaft protruding from the cutter head. 10.Adjustable depth-of-cut means for rotatable blades extending from thesurface of a cutter head of a height-adjustable cutter assembly inpavement grooving apparatus comprising an open-centered depth wheelexceeded in diameter by the cutter blades but exceeding that of the headsurface and surrounding the axis of rotation of the cutter head adjacentan end of the cutter head, means mounting the wheel eccentricallyrelative to the axis, and means for adjusting the degree of eccentricitythereof and thereby determining the depth of cutter penetration intopavement when the wheel is contiguous therewith.
 11. Depth-of-cut meansaccording to claim 10, wherein the depth wheel surrounds an end of thecutter head in spaced relationship therewith and spaced also from thenearest cutter blade.
 12. Depth-of-cut means according to claim 10, induplicate, located at opposite ends of the cutter assembly. 13.Depth-of-cut means according to claim 12, wherein the respective depthwheels surround the corresponding ends of the cutter head.